The Hindu : National : Editor of Surat eveninger arrested

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Wednesday, Aug 30, 2006

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National

Editor of Surat eveninger arrested

Special Correspondent

NIV rules out Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome in Surat

AHMEDABAD : The editor of an eveninger published from Surat was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly using abusive language against the Gujarat Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, and various government and other officials for their "failure" in handling the recent floods in the diamond city.In an editorial published in his evening daily, Surat Samna,the editor, Manoj Shinde, attacked several government and municipal corporation officials and BJP leaders, including Mr. Modi, for mishandling the release of water from the Ukai dam resulting in the flooding of the city and colossal loss to the people. The police picked him up on Tuesday morning and has charged him with anti-national activities, including "instigating people against a duly elected government" and defaming senior officials and executives.

Mr. Shinde is an active member of the Congress and convener of the Surat Congress media cell.

Coupled with Mr Shinde's arrest and the problems facing them in securing information from official sources, Surat-based journalists took out a rally this evening and submitted a memorandum to the District Collector demanding cooperation in seeking information.

HPS ruled out

The National Institute of Virology, Pune, has ruled out Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, a disease spread from dead rodents, in Surat. M. S. Chadhha, a senior official, told newsmen in Surat that all the 46 samples sent to the NIV were found to HPS negative. The National Institute of Communicable Diseases, Delhi, had earlier ruled out plague and HPS in Surat and confirmed the outbreak of leptospirosis.

One more person died of leptospirosis on Tuesday taking the toll so far to 19.

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